What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC reported that at treetop level in descent for landing, aircraft lost lift and slammed into ground, damaging nosewheel. PIC stated he had no time to initiate a go-around, and that the damaged nosewheel caused the aircraft to veer off the landing area to the left into the bushes. Once there, the aircraft flipped over since this landing area is a former road and there are drainage ditches on the sides. PIC reported no indication of wind on the ground at windsock, and no indication of wind aloft, but it is clear there was wind aloft, since he lost the lift from this wind once below treetop level. PIC said he was at normal approach speed, with full flaps.
As the FAA filed it
PIC REPORTED THAT AT TREETOP LEVEL IN DESCENT FOR LANDING, AIRCRAFT LOST LIFT AND SLAMMED INTO GROUND, DAMAGING NOSEWHEEL. PIC STATED HE HAD NO TIME TO INITIATE A GO-AROUND, AND THAT THE DAMAGED NOSEWHEEL CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER OFF THE LANDING AREA TO THE LEFT INTO THE BUSHES. ONCE THERE, THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER SINCE THIS LANDING AREA IS A FORMER ROAD AND THERE ARE DRAINAGE DITCHES ON THE SIDES. PIC REPORTED NO INDICATION OF WIND ON THE GROUND AT WINDSOCK, AND NO INDICATION OF WIND ALOFT, BUT IT IS CLEAR THERE WAS WIND ALOFT, SINCE HE LOST THE LIFT FROM THIS WIND ONCE BELOW TREETOP LEVEL. PIC SAID HE WAS AT NORMAL APPROACH SPEED, WITH FULL FLAPS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3411U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.